[MOD] Enhanced Equipment Docks (eEQ) [discontinued, forks available]

[Saetan]

Enhanced Equipment Docks (Update: 2013-07-02 04:40 CEST)

[ external image ] [ external image ]

It's permitted to non-commercial redistribute this modification. It's also permitted to modify this modification and to non-commercially distribute that modded modification. Each under the additional terms of naming the original author and also linking to the original topic of the modification.

Introducion
The Modification "Enhanced Equipment Docks" gives more flexible trading stations and equipment docks to the player. They are technically based on a players headquarter, so a free warehouse allocation gets possible.



The stations

• OTAS Trading Station
  
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  The OTAS engineers revised the Argon Trading Station in order to provide more flexible storage rooms. In addition to ultra-modern recreational areas, the OTAS Trading Station provides storage room for 60.000 units for freely use.
  (~ 50.000.000 CR // Federation Guardian)
  
  Docking:
  10x freighter or corvette class ships
  internal hangar for fighters
• OTAS Equipment Dock
  
  [ external image ]
  
  The engineers at OTAS succeeded in creating more flexible storage rooms for Equipment Docks. The OTAS Equipment Dock has a capacity of 30.000 units, which can be distributed freely on the various goods.
  (~ 62.500.000 CR // Federation Marshall)
  
  Docking:
  2x capital class ships
  15x freighter, corvette or fighter class ships
• OTAS Freight Base
  
  [ external image ]
  
  Requirements led to the development of the OTAS Freight Base. It is characterized by a freely assignable storage room of 90.000 units and docking bays for a variety of freighters.
  (~ 65.000.000 CR // Federation Guardian)
  
  Docking:
  40x freighter, corvette or fighter class ships
• OTAS Commercial Port
  
  [ external image ]
  
  Based on the outer structures of Military Outposts, the OTAS engineers developed the OTAS Commercial Port. It is a space station with vast recreational areas and also storage room for 240.000 units for flexibley use.
  (~ 185.000.000 CR // Federation Overwatch)
  
  Docking:
  2x capital class ships
  20x freighter or corvette class ships
  internal hangar for fighters
• OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base
  
  [ external image ]
  
  Because of ongoing military conflicts, the OTAS Company was commissioned by the Argon Federation to construct a supply base for capital ships. The result was the development of the OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base. It offers nine docking bays for capital ships and also 120.000 units of flexible storage room for weapons and armament. It also provides an integrated repairyard for capital ships and it is only sold to close allies of the Argon Federation.
  (~ 242.500.000 CR // Protector of the Federation)
  
  Docking:
  9x capital class ships
  5x freighter, corvette or fighter class ships

Compatibility:
This modification is fundamentally incompatible without adjustments to modifications which modify at least one of the following files:

• ./types/hq.xml
• ./types/TDocks.txt
• ./types/TDocksWrecks.txt

This modification was first developed for X³:TC 1.4 and later revised for X³:TC 2.0, X³:TC 2.1, X³:TC 2.5 and X³:TC 2.7. Each used version of X³:TC while development can be seen in the version number of this modification (1.4-xyz, 2.0-xyz, 2.1-xyz, 2.5-xyz, 2.7-xyz). If you use a version of this modification which doesn't fit your X³:TC version errors may occur.


Installation
The downloaded .zip-file has to be extracted into your X³:TC main directory. It's important to keep the specified directory structure. At the next start of X³:TC you have to hit the menu item "select mod-package" in the upcoming starting dialogue. Then you have to select my modification (named "eEQ_{version}". In the game you don't have to do any changes, because by using an unsigned modification your game will automatically be set to ***modified***.

If you want to use more than one modification, you can use the fake-patch method for installation. You have to extract the downloaded .zip-file the same way as described above. After that you have to find the highest used number of your .cat/.dat game files in the X³:TC main directory. For a still unmodified X³:TC 2.7 installation that is 10.
After that you have to rename the .cat/.dat files of the modification based on this highest number, increased by one. The first modification will therefore get 11, the second one 12 and so on.

Importat is, that the .cat/.dat files of the same modification have the same numbers as filename too. Also you must not omit a number between the .cat/.dat files, as the following ones won't be recognized then. Also you have to make sure that the different modifications are compliant to each other. If two or more modifications modify the same files they normally aren't compatible without adjustments and so that will cause errors.
You have to be aware too, that a new official patch by Egosoft will replace the first following modification automatically during the installation process.


Update to version 2.7-2.2
You should update from 2.5-2.0 to 2.7-2.2. Else the same instructions as for the update to 2.5-2.0 are valid.

Update to version 2.5-2.0
For the update to version 2.5-2.0, you are need to have at least version 2.1-1.0 used before. A update directly from older versions isn't supported.

After extracting the downloaded .zip-file you'll find the batch-file "Delete old 'enhanced Equipment Dock' files.bat" in the sub-directory "./scripts.delete" of your X³:TC main directory. You have to run this batch-file bevor starting the game. When loading X³:TC you have to select the new version of this modification after hitting the menu item "select mod-package".
If you had a fake-patch installation you have to replace the old .cat/.dat-files of my modification or to give the new ones a higher number than the old ones have.
You have to check any station commands and settings of your eEQ stations after the update.


Notes
Only station models were used which are already contained in X³:TC. The OTAS Trading Station and OTAS Equipment Dock use unmodified models. The OTAS Commercial Port, OTAS Freigth Base and OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base use modified models and/or scene-files.

As a usefull addition to this modification I recommend Lucikes Script Collection for X³:TC. It offers trade scripts like the Dockware Manager, with which you can limit the storage capacity per product. The collection also offers the traders (CAG, CLS and PSC) which consider these set limits.
As there were often questions in context of this modifications and the dockware manager, here is a quote, translated by myself, from Lucike (14th Jan. '09):

Just one more thing to dockware manager. Who observes the limits and when?

CLS: Approaching CLS1 pilots. The approaching CLS1 pilot is not in need to have the station as homebase.
CAG: Only the CAG with the station as homebase when delivering wares.
EST: Not at all. Whether with or without set homebase.
PSC: Only the PSC with the station as homebase when delivering minerals.

There is also the Station Financial Manager by s9ilent which provides similar functionality.


Known critical bugs
- There have been reports of capital ships crashing into the OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base while beeing InSector. This happens if the station is in the direct path of a passing capital ship.


Known uncritical bugs
- The eEQ is technically a lightweight Player HQ and I was not able to remove the spray-shop of it. The original Player HQ stays unmodified.
- It gets an identifier like an Player HQ ( YHQ..-.. )
- After you built a eEQ you will be able to buy blueprints. But only the player headquarter can save blueprints, so if you don't have one, this blueprints will be lost.



Acknowledgments
I say thank you to alles for his helpful hints at the beginning of the development of this modification. Very special thanks for Lucike. Beside of sharing his powerful scripts with us, he had done the scripts to add the stations to the OTAS ShipYard in the first versions of this modification. Later he found a way how to avoid the necessary rebuilding of the players headquarter to avoid the "blueprint bug" and developed the needed scripts for that solution. Thanks to him, we got rid of the most anoying bug of this modification in version 2.5-2.0. Also big thanks to him for his rewrites and optimizations of the eEQ scripts for version 2.7-2.2.



Download
[ external image ]

Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.7-2.2) outdated
(newer versions/forks available by other modders. See below at section "Links")

Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.5-2.0)
Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.1-1.3)
Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.0-beta.5.3.2)


Changelog
2.7-2.2:

• Compatibility to X³:TC 2.7.
• Rewrite and optimization of all scripts by Lucike.
• Added 10 docking clamps to the OTAS Commercial Port.
• Removed the Terraformer-Hub BugFix as it got integrated to X³:TC 2.7 vanilla.

2.5-2.0:

• BugFix: Renew of the players headquarter, because of the "Blueprint-Bug", not necessary anymore.
• All scripts rewritten.

2.1-1.3:

• Rebalancing for new built stations: Prices decreased.
  Internal changes.

2.1-1.2:

• New station: OTAS Freight Base added.
• Internal changes.

2.1-1.1:

• BugFix: Wrongly packed and therefore missing stationmodels of the Terraformer Hub and the OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base, fixed.

2.1-1.0:

• Adjustements for X³:TC 2.1.
• Rebalancing for new built stations.
• Beta-Phase finished.

2.0-beta.5.3.2:

• Several small improvements.

2.0-beta.5.3.1:

• Englische language file available again..

2.0-beta.5.3:

• AddIn: My Terraformer Hub Bug-Fix got implemented.

2.0-beta.5.2:

• Adjustments of the modification for X³:TC 2.0, the Aldrin Extension.

1.4-beta.5.1:

• WorkAround: Scripts for the "Blueprint-Bug" added.
• English language file outdated and now missing.
• Only Capital Ships can be repaired in the OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base now.

beta.04:

• Stationmodel of the OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base reworked: Freeze while building fixed, wreck added.

beta.03:

• New station: OTAS Capital Ship Supply Base added.

beta.02:

• Rebalancing for new built stations.
• Own names and descriptions for the stations added.

beta.01:

• Two additional stations added.
• Alpha-Phase finished.

alpha.04:

• BugFix: The price of the Argon Equipment Dock was about 130.000.000CR too, fixed.

alpha.03:

• Switched PageID from 9600 to 9400.
• Internal file-/directory-changes.

alpha.02:

• First release.

Links
SaDiablo Modification Development

eEQ for X³:AP by morbideth

eEQ-AddOn by ThaloonMook (German topic)
eEQ for X³:AP by ubuntufreakdragon (German posting)

[Krewzur]

1) Is it just the spray shop at the EQ Dock, or is the ship building feature in it too??? If it's just the spray shop i'd love to have a copy of it, i've been trying to add the spray shop feature to player EQ's for ages.

2)Are you sure that your changing the price of the the right EQ dock? And is it in the highest number .cat file, or in a mod file?? Make sure you changed the NPC price and the player price. If that doesn't work than i don't know what's wrong.

[Saetan]

At least, I found it by myself and now I decided to release an alpha-version: [Mod] Enhanced Equipment Dock (German Thread). There is an english language file included, but there's no english description yet.

[Saetan]

1) Is it just the spray shop at the EQ Dock, or is the ship building feature in it too??? If it's just the spray shop i'd love to have a copy of it, i've been trying to add the spray shop feature to player EQ's for ages.

2)Are you sure that your changing the price of the the right EQ dock? And is it in the highest number .cat file, or in a mod file?? Make sure you changed the NPC price and the player price. If that doesn't work than i don't know what's wrong.

Hi amurph0.

Yeah, it's just the spray-shop. The other functions of the HQ I had been able to disable. And yeah, I tried the right equipment dock. But it wasn't the "price modifier (1)" or "price modifier (2)", as I thougt would be logical. But it had been the "Production RelVal (NPC)" and "Production RelVal (player)".

[Vitez]

Hi Saetan!
If this mod will work than could it be possible that you would make a mod that replaces those (ugh) ugly castle-like corporation HQ-s to normal EQs?

[Saetan]

Hi Saetan!
If this mod will work than could it be possible that you would make a mod that replaces those (ugh) ugly castle-like corporation HQ-s to normal EQs?

Hi Vitez

Should be possible. That seems just to be some changes in the TDocks.pck and TDocksWrecks.pck.

But, with my knowlege yet, I just will be able to do it as a, by Egosoft planned, mod-package. That means, it will be incompatible with any mods changing these files and possibly incompatible with future updates of X³:TC, if one of these files is updated to.
Maybe Cycrow's Plugin Manager will help this out, I'll see.

Also some of the corporate HQ's don't allow docking for the big ships, guess because they don't have a docking place for them. Changing them to a EQ too, would mean a (minor) change of game-balancing. What if they get replaced by an trading station?

[Krewzur]

Hi Saetan!
If this mod will work than could it be possible that you would make a mod that replaces those (ugh) ugly castle-like corporation HQ-s to normal EQs?

I've already done for myself ages ago. Open up TDocks with the editor and replace Corp stations models with the EQ dock models.

EDIT: I uploaded it, it should work fine:
http://files.filefront.com/Replace+Corp ... einfo.html

Don't know about TDocksWrecks though, i guess if it gets destroyed it'll leave behind a wreckage of the old model.

[Vitez]

Hi Saetan!
If this mod will wor
EDIT: I uploaded it, it should work fine:
http://files.filefront.com/Replace+Corp ... einfo.html

Don't know about TDocksWrecks though, i guess if it gets destroyed it'll leave behind a wreckage of the old model.

Thank you

[Saetan]

English description for the Enhanced Equipment Dock now available. See first post of this thread.

[Saetan]

The last few versions I didn't include an English language file, because of increased amount of messages needed. Because of the actual release of the CODEA Weapon System by Lucike I decided to do the translation of my mod, and so I included an English language file again.
If there are errors in spelling or grammatics (I'm sure there are) I would be happy if someone would help me to correct them.

Maybe someone likes to use this modification in combination with the new CODEA supply tenders.

Also my mod is compatible to X³:TC 2.0

A translation of the german readme and thread will follow, if there is interest.

Download
Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.0-beta.5.3.1)

[Thrandisher]

Thank you

I grabed one of those verions without a english t file and went crazy since i coudlnt remember how to redo em at first, heh.

[Saetan]

I grabed one of those verions without a english t file and went crazy since ...

Sorry ... next time call me via personal message or a post ^^

[Saetan]

-- just updated the description to get it up to date --

[Thrandisher]

Nice, looks like you have done a few things to this since i stoped playing. I might have to give it a whirle here soon when i get back more into TC.

[Saetan]

First I planned to do the price reduction while the update for the new patch 2.5. But I already did it today and so it's still released for X³:TC 2.1.

I reduced the prices of all eED stations, new build OTAS Freighter Bases will have an increased cargo bay and there have been some internal and smaller changes (some typo's in the English language file are fixed too)


When updating don't forget to select the new version of the "mod-package" in the X³:TC start dialog.




Changelog
2.1-1.3: Prices of all eED stations decreased, increased cargo bay of new build OTAS Freighter Bases, some internal changes

Download
Enhanced Equipment Docks (2.1-1.3)

[Mad_CatMk2]

hey Saetan, do you know how to work this for compatibility with Logan Abler's FDN mod?

[Saetan]

At the moment that would be changes inside in the TDocks, the hq.xml and the scripts too. Changing the scripts is possible, but not comfortable and if you oversee something, that's bad.

Currently I'm rewriting my scripts for the next release, so the needed changes from different scripts will move into one language file. After that, gaining compatibility will be "easier", at least if it's the first install.

[Mad_CatMk2]

Ok, the wait is worth it heh.

Good luck on this script

[Saetan]

If you want to test, this late afternoon I released a Release Candidate for test-purposes in the German topic. You just would have to merge the TDocks and the hq.xml.
After that the only need is too adapt the SubTypes in the language file, so they will fit the right line inside the TDocks.

Also, and that was the main reason for developing that version, thanks to Lucike, he found a way how to avoid the problem, that blueprints didn't get saved anymore in your already built PHQ if you buy them, after placing an eEQ.

If you are interested, you can try. If you do, I recommend doing backups of your savegames. If there are questions, just ask.

enhanced Equipment Docks (2.5-2.0 RC)

[Mad_CatMk2]

Thanks for the RC. How would I merge the Subtypes thing?